Seymour not on field

Still no sign of defensive tackle Richard Seymour, who apparently will miss the entire week of practice with a hamstring strain and as a result is an unlikely participant in Sunday’s game against the Indianapolis Colts at the Coliseum.

Right tackle Langston Walker was present but not wearing a helmet. He was scheduled to take another test today to see if he would be cleared to play after sustaining a concussion against Denver. Shane Lechler was on the field but probably as a spectator.

The Raiders will probably determine Saturday if they need to activate Danny Baugher from the practice squad, either as insurance or if Lechler can’t kick.

Jerry McDonald - NFL Writer

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Desmond Bryant is pretty decent in passing situations terrible in the run so yea lets witch the 2 back and forth

YoungAmerican

Bryant has been pretty good at getting pressure up the middle, so hopefully he has a big game.

YoungAmerican

It’s unfortunate, though, because Seymour commands double-teams. The defensive line is going to have to be very good.

Hopefully Houston sees some time on the inside, as well, with Moss coming in at DE.

ottocrat

We all better appreciate these final two games, cuz it’s gonna get ugly.

———————————————————-

Despite whispers and hints of optimism on the labor front, the NFL Players Association continues to prepare for a lockout.

Earlier this week, the union notified that the annual agent seminar held in conjunction with the February Scouting Combine will be mandatory for all certified contract advisors. Previously, agents could choose between attending the Indianapolis session and an annual meeting conducted in Los Angeles.

“This will be your opportunity to hear directly from union leaders about the status of CBA negotiations and what may transpire in the weeks shortly thereafter,” the union said in an e-mail sent to all agents, a copy of which was obtained by PFT.

The meeting is scheduled for February 25. The current labor agreement expires on February 3.

The e-mail also asks the agents to avoid three Indianapolis hotels: the Hyatt Regency, the Westin, and the Sheraton. “[T]hey have labor issues and our contract advisors should not do business with companies that do not treat their employees with fairness and respect,” the e-mail states. (In other words, “We need to continue to pander to the unions representing the true ‘working people’ so that those unions will be inclined support a union of millionaires.”)

“[H]e said the most important thing is that we encourage our clients to save their last few checks,” one agent told Breer.

Smith also said that he doesn’t “have a clue” regarding the origin of optimism expressed by some owners regarding a new deal before the Super Bowl.

We continue to hope that both sides acquire a clue and schedule intensive, continuous negotiating sessions as soon as possible. If such meetings don’t start by February, there’s no way a deal will be done before the current CBA expires in early March.

Silver-and-black666

6

DKnight007

273.PurpleDrank81 Says:
December 24th, 2010 at 10:42 am
Who knows if Bruce will ever get to see the field as RG… He’s sitting behing the terrible Cooper Carlisle. RT should be also be added but I dont see any RT in the draft that I like to much….Free Agent RT???????

^^^^^^^^^
I think Matt Reynolds from BYU would be a solid 2nd round pick. He would be able to play RG or RT IMO…..but mainly as a RT.

DKnight007

I think the main priority for the Raiders this offseason, will be to make sure and keep HUE JACKSON around and RE SIGN as many IN HOUSE free agents that are on the team as possible.

DKnight007

284.YoungAmerican Says:
December 24th, 2010 at 10:52 am
I’d like to have Pettis as a Raider, but I don’t see him as a likely draft pick. In the draft Al tends to go for burners. He only tends to go for wideouts without blazing speed in free agency, and even then he prefers the quicker guys.

^^^^^^^^
Yeah, but the thing is they already have plenty of burners and team speed….they guys who can catch the ball in traffic on a consistent basis, use their hands to catch the ball and convert first downs to move the chains.

Pettis would be great fit to the WR corp. He has a different and dangerous type of skill set compared to the others and his skills would compliment the other WR’s.

DKnight007

DT Kendrick Ellis 6′5, 340lbs from Hampton looks like a beast type of DT also, that maybe looked at in Round 2 for the Raiders.

Look for him to shoot up draft boards though.

Yeah, there looks to be plenty of depth at the CB position for this years upcoming draft.

No need for the Raiders to pick a CB early on in Round 2.

Just Fire Baby

Well Bruce Campbell is being groomed to be the RG or RT next year without a doubt.

**********************************

I don’t know he can considered being groomed, when he isn’t active during games.

If he was being groomed to play, wouldn’t they keep him active, maybe let him block on extra points and maybe get a series or two at the end of these blowouts?

I think he will be lucky to make the team next year, and starting isn’t even in the realm of possibility.

Just Fire Baby

I would rather our veteran RG for the #2 rushing attack, Carlisle, play than in essence a 2nd year guy who wasn’t good enough to play at all as a rookie, and will be playing his first games at a new position.

Bruce Campbell at RG in 2011 spells disaster.

PurpleDrank81

JFB UR MY IDOL

Just Fire Baby

Please tell me they don’t have you working on X-mas eve, Drank?

PurpleDrank81

Yes Im sitting here hating life at work……Everything you said about Bruce Campbell was true

Just Fire Baby

I say maybe pass on the WR’s in the early rounds, and try to get the best WR in college right now, the Jeffries kid from South Carolina, in 2012.

He is a true sophmore, and the best collegiate WR in the game, IMO.

PurpleDrank81

That sounds good and all but I have a giant man crush on Austin Pettis……LMAO

Just Fire Baby

I’m not a good film-review guy for O-lineman, but we all know Bruce Campbell lit the combine on fire last year.

And yet still had to be bailed out by Al in the 4th round. Who knows where he would have been drafted if Al didn’t take him?

A combine freak, who started a lot of games at LT in a BCS conference, and still lasted until at least the 4th round?

His college film must have been a blooper reel.

Just Fire Baby

Floyd or Pettis are there in the 2nd, I don’t really have a problem with that.

But if not, don’t force the issue on WR. In a perfect world we are only throwing about 25 passes a game, and almost half of those should go to RB, FB and TE. Throw in the one or two deep balls to DHB to “Stretch the field” (because catching it is out of the question) and it doesn’t seem like such a dire need after all.

PurpleDrank81

I played O-Line for 8 years thru pee-wee to JC and I spent alot of time on watching tape on him because I was scared we were gonna pick him in the 2nd….. He is actually a good run blocker but on passing down he seems to get overwhelmed. He has fast foot movement but not that coordinated and kind of looks like a sloppy robot.. Thats why Cable is trying him in at guard because he doesnt have to watch the edge and doesnt have to take long backward strides

PurpleDrank81

I believe Floyd or Pettis would be perfect for moving the chains… To have to worry about Ford,Miller,Pettis and Mcfadden is just NUTZ if ur a defense

RaiderRetribution

ooh-ooh..I know, Iknow

RaiderRetribution

we can have Houston move inside to DT and have Sam Williams be our speed rusher

Just Fire Baby

Seems like the move to RG is to prevent him from thinking, and kind of like “down-set-hike-crash”.

No time to worry about footwork and all that, like you say.

I hope it works out, someone has to replace Cooper sometime. Just would be a lot more confident if his replacement for next year was actually playing, even sparingly, this year.

PurpleDrank81

Way to think outside if the box Raider Retribution

M Lonetree

JustFB,

your prognostication that BCamp at RG = disaster in 2011 rings a bit hollow.
I am certain that a multitude of your fellow bloggers declared that a rookie from Hillsdale starting at LT in 2010 spelled disaster for the Raiders. Comme ca.

I think any of these guys could fill a position of need for the Raiders.

Just Fire Baby

Yeah, that would not have seemed very likely.

But at least you could tell that Jered and all his right-wing gusto could play right away.

Can’t say the same for Bruce Campbell. He even sounds scared when he talks to the media.

Just Fire Baby

Curious, do we like Pouncey because of his name or his production?

Watched him at the beginning of the year, and he was awful. I’m sure he has improved some, but I don’t think he is a viable C option in the NFL, especially as a rookie.

Guy

Young American, how is Greg Jones? I know the Raiders need a 4-3 OLB pretty badly, what type of player is he?

PurpleDrank81

Greg Jones is a Fast hard hitting weakside LB who can cover just a bit undersized

PurpleDrank81

I also like Jared Crick…He struggled alil bit since he’s not next to SUH any more but he still really good and has 63 tackles and 10 sacks as a DT

Guy

Ok, just wanted to make sure it wasn’t Thomas Howard 2.0, just another fast LB. Is he good vs the run?

YoungAmerican

When I think about LBs that would fit the Raider mold, I look for guys who can cover sideline-to-sideline as well as hit. With the scheme the Raiders run, LBs are sometimes left man-to-man on WRs. Gotta have a guy who can not only tackle, but has enough speed to hold his own in coverage. That’s Greg Jones’ MO.

LB might not be the most pressing need the Raiders have, but they could do a whole lot worse in the second round than Greg Jones.

YoungAmerican

Jones is very solid against the run. Tackling machine, big hitter, fluid in coverage.

May not be the big, prototype pass rusher that most NFL teams want their WLB to be, but that’s not something the Raiders’ scheme really requires.

Guy

Ok then, that would be good. From what I’ve been learning here though, I think the best options would be Curtis Brown in the 2nd (if Wiz and Floyd are not here) and Pettis in the 3rd.

I was defending Routt but he is so bad at playing the ball, and never gets his head turned around in time.

YoungAmerican

Yeah, I wouldn’t mind Routt so much if he wasn’t forced into a role where he gets tested on almost every single pass play. He’s just not good enough to be that guy.

Just Fire Baby

What was up with the Miss ST hoopsters fighting each other in the stands?

LMAO….what a bunch of tools.

PurpleDrank81

YoungAmerican Says:
December 24th, 2010 at 11:53 am
Jones is very solid against the run. Tackling machine, big hitter, fluid in coverage.

May not be the big, prototype pass rusher that most NFL teams want their WLB to be, but that’s not something the Raiders’

——-

Great Analysis thats exactly how I feel about Jones…

I really like Curtis Brown but I would way rather pick upa CB in Free agency and pick up Jones,Wiz,Floyd in the 2nd and hopefully Pettis/Crick in the 3rd.

I wont be mad if we picked Pettis up in the 2nd even though I know every1 else will be and I also think he looks better than Floyd most of the time and isnt as injury plagued as Floyd

YoungAmerican

Yeah, I think Pettis would be the perfect compliment to Ford and Murphy.

PurpleDrank81

I guess when I get home Im gonna watch a bunch of game tape

RAIDERMAN99

Sure, drafting to improve the OL and WR positions would appear to be prudent.

But the truth is, it’s more important to get an actual player at any position, rather than draft ‘for need’ and miss on the selection.

In an ideal draft one would be able to plug holes as needed and of course, a team should strive to do so, but in the real world it’s best to scoop up guys that won’t miss when they’re still on the board when your turn comes.

That being said, there is an exception to the rule, and there can be no doubt that securing a franchise QB is the Raids most important mission this offseason. That is, unless you think JaJason is the answer at the all-important QB position.

If Al believes Scam Newton (props to Vegas for that beauty) is the answer, he will mortgage future drafts and sacrifice current quality players to move up and grab him.

That’s just the way it is. Even after whiffing on JaMoron and thereby missing out on Calvin Johnson, the quest to obtain a great Raider QB must continue.

That’s the NFL, and there’s just no getting around the fact that a franchise needs a top notch QB if it is to realistically contend for a Lombardi Trophy.

If the franchise QB can’t be obtained through the draft then the Raids have to get him through FA or trade.

But a better QB than JaJason must be secured if this team is to climb past mediocrity and into SB contention.

JaJason is, and always will be, a scrub.

In fact, I’ll go as far to predict that a healthy Bruce Gradkowski beats JaJason out for the starting position next year, if both are on the roster.

Just Fire Baby

STill think that Titus Young might run a 4.31 forty and Al will wait on taking a WR until the 4th round and get the wheels.

May not be the best scenario, but surely the more likely.

Just Fire Baby

Franchise QB’s are hard as hell to find.

If we can land one, I am all for it.

But no Orton, McNabb or Palmer and can’t see a rookie starting in 2011, with us having serious playoff aspirations.

I think it is Campbell’s job in 2011 (barring a major face-plant these last two weeks). It is his last year of his contract, and things will sort itself out after 2011 (either new contract or new QB)

PurpleDrank81

Raiderman99 I agree with half of that.. I was a big Bruce guy but just realized he doesnt half the arm this team needs and gets to gung ho for his own britches.. I almost think if Davis moved up he would snag Mallet.

JFB That is the most likely Scenario very true

PurpleDrank81

Campbell will start next year…I do think we should have a rookie under him to learn from Hue

PurpleDrank81

*Half=Have ……wow cant spell today

RAIDERMAN99

I’ll ask you draft gurus —

Which player will be a better NFL QB —

Collin Kaepernick or Kellen Moore ?

Both busts ?

Is Kaepernick an unpolished gem ?

Is Moore yet another great college QB that doesn’t translate to the NFL ?

PurpleDrank81

Ur setting me up arent you 99…lmao

YoungAmerican

As far as the Raiders’ most pressing needs go, here’s how I see it:

1.) RG/RT – Possible targets could be FA RG Harvey Dahl and FA RT Ryan Harris. RT Jared Gaither could be a less expensive option in free agency, but it remains to be seen how healthy he is. In the draft, Darrius Morris from Temple may be available in the second round. Morris is versatile enough to play OG or RT.

2.) #2 CB – Every great Raiders team has had two good CBs. Brown/Thomas, Hayes/Haynes, Woodson/Allen. Sign FA CB Jonathan Joseph, or go for the top man-coverage CB in the second or third round. Brandon Burton from Utah, Curtis Brown from Texas, or Davon House from New Mexico State would all be possible targets.

3.) WR – Either a veteran or a big-time rookie WR. Vincent Jackson and Sidney Rice are proven weapons, but Green Bay’s James Jones could be an intriguing option. As for rookies, in the event that Michael Floyd falls to the second round the Raiders would do well to not pass on him.

4.) QB – With Jason Campbell being a virtual lock for the starting gig next season, now is the time to find a young guy in the draft for the coaching staff to develop. Get a guy from a pro-style offense, with a high football IQ and a big enough arm to run Al’s offense. Nathan Enderle from Idaho, Pat Devlin from Delaware, and Jake Locker from Washington are all possibilities.

5.) RB – Only because Michael Bush will very likely go somewhere where he can start (and get paid like a starter). Every run-first team needs a change of pace back. Even if McFadden continues to play like a Pro Bowler, either a big bruiser RB or a small shifty guy who can navigate holes in the ZBS would be key additions. Luckily, if the Raiders have other priorities in the higher rounds, quality running backs can still be found in the late rounds or as UDFAs.

6.) DL depth – Find an NT in the later rounds who could be rotated in (much like Henderson is), possibly another DE as well. As far as a late-round NT/DT, I like Ian Williams from Notre Dame.

7.) LB depth – Ricky Brown is terrible in coverage and can’t tackle to save his life, and Thomas Howard is likely a goner after falling out of favor with the coaching staff.